Grain probe



Sept. 14, 1954 PElNE 2,688,877

GRAIN PROBE Filed Sept. 22, 1955 I6 24 Fig.3

20 A 7 E 4 n -22 Robert. 0. Fame IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED fiTATES tATENT OFFICE GRAIN PROBE RobertD. Peine, Minier, 111.

Application September 22, 1953, Serial No. 381,718

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in grain probes, and the principal object of the inventionis to facilitate the gathering of proper specimens or samples of grainat different levels of a storage bin, or the like.

Conventional grain proves customarily embody in their construction avertically elongated, tubular barrel provided with a row of verticallyspaced openings, and a tubular receptacle which is rotatably disposed inthe barrel and is also provided with a row of vertically spaced openingswhich are registrable with the openings in the barrel so that when theprobe is inserted into the grain, the receptacle becomes filled withsamples of the grain, which are subjected to examination after the probeis withdrawn.

However, inasmuch as various impurities are usually heavier than thegrain itself, they tend to gravitate toward the lower strata of thegrain and when the conventional probe is inserted in its samplingposition, the receptacle of the probe usually fills from the upperstrata and impurities in the lower strata often become undetected.

The principal object of the instant invention is to eliminate thisdisadvantage by the provision of a probe wherein the openings in thebarrel and in the receptacle are so arranged that the openings adjacentthe lower end of the probe come in register first, that is, so that theopenings become registered progressively and successively from the lowerend to the upper end of the probe, whereby the receptacle of the probeis filled in the same fashion and accurate gathering of the grainsamples is facilitated.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tubular receptacle per se;and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially in the planeof the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the grain probe isdesignated generally by the reference character and embodies in itsconstruction a tubular barrel l2 having a pointed lower end [4 and anopen upper end l6 while the usual tubular receptacle I8 is rotatablydisposed in the barrel l2 in the conventional manner.

The barrel I2 is provided with a row of vertically spaced andcircumferentially aligned openings 20, while the receptacle I8 isprovided with a row 2 of vertically spaced but circumferentiallystaggered openings 22.

When the device is assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the openings22 in the receptacle l8 are registrable progressively with the openings20 of the barrel, in succession from the lower end to the upper end ofthe barrel. This is best illustrated in the accompanying Figure 1,wherein it will be noted that while the lowermost of the openings 20 isunobstructed, the uppermost of the openings 20 in the barrel is closedby the receptacle 18. As the receptacle is rotated within the barrel ina counterclockwise direction, the openings 20 will become successivelyand progressively cleared, in an upward direction from the lower end ofthe barrel, so that when the device is placed in use and is inserted ina body of grain, the receptacle ill will become filled from the bottomto the top. In this manner, accurate sampling will be achieved, and ofcourse, after the receptacle is filled and the probe is withdrawn, thegrain may be emptied through the usual open upper end 24 of thereceptacle in the conventional manner.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A grain probe comprising a tubular barrel provided with a row ofvertically spaced openings, and a tubular receptacle rotatable in saidbarrel and provided with a row of vertically spaced butcircumferentially staggered openings registrable progressively andsuccessively with the first mentioned openings upon rotation of thereceptacle in the barrel.

2. A grain probe comprising a tubular barrel having upper and lower endsand provided with a row of vertically spaced and circumferentiallyaligned openings, and a tubular receptacle rotatable in said barrel,said receptacle being provided with a row of vertically spaced butcircumferentially staggered openings registrable progressively with thefirst mentioned openings successively from the lower to the upper end ofthe barrel upon rotation of the receptacle in the barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,152,133 Wareham Aug. 31, 1915 1,256,413 Wiswell Feb. 12,1918

